Hi people, apologies if this has been posted before. I remembered reading years ago and amazing guide about perfecting and learning good driving technique, I didn't write it (but don't let that put you off ) i'd forgotten all about it, but stumbled across the link in an old favourites archive.

Unfortunately since the advent of eBooks the free version of this guide was taken offline, but it's still available in eBook form and is widely respected as a wonderful guide for those who like to read about proper techniques to actually make you fast:

I've heard a lot of good stuff about that one, never got around to buying it though, maybe I will now.

Completely agree with you about practice being the only thing to help, but at least it lets you focus your practice. I remember in series 1 where Iketani is trying to improve his laptimes, but all he can think of is pushing the throttle more. At least guides give you focus and exercises to practice.

The best experience I ever had was a day at Silverstone in a race prepped MX5 with slick tires. I learned a huge amount, and had so much fun.

Rule #1: Never pass an American car on the outside.Rule #2: Brake before the turn, never during.Rule #3: Fatigue sneaks up on you. If you go more than 2 wheels off, go into the pits and meditate for a few seconds, if nothing else.Rule #4: Grass is a racing surface.Rule #5: It's really expensive to be a bonehead, and you won't make any friends.

I like driving on track with street tires. Slicks let you get away with a lot of stupidity, and that's no way to train yourself out of bad habits. It's good to learn in a "momentum car." If you learn to drive a slow car fast, the skill scales up to fast cars. If you learn to hold on while you somehow scramble a fast car around a track, you're going to be terrible in a slow one.

Rule #1: Never pass an American car on the outside.Rule #2: Brake before the turn, never during.Rule #3: Fatigue sneaks up on you. If you go more than 2 wheels off, go into the pits and meditate for a few seconds, if nothing else.Rule #4: Grass is a racing surface.Rule #5: It's really expensive to be a bonehead, and you won't make any friends.

I like driving on track with street tires. Slicks let you get away with a lot of stupidity, and that's no way to train yourself out of bad habits. It's good to learn in a "momentum car." If you learn to drive a slow car fast, the skill scales up to fast cars. If you learn to hold on while you somehow scramble a fast car around a track, you're going to be terrible in a slow one.

1: Depends, really. Safe passes can be made on any car in a corner under the right conditions.

2: No, just no. Even without ABS, proper pedal modulation can allow for effective trail braking, leading to higher top speeds on straights and lower split times. Getting trapped in the thinking that the brake pedal is an on-off switch on the track is the reason for advice like this.

3: Yes. A million times yes. It's time to cool down if you push that hard.

4: Another yes. Can go along with #1, especially with an AWD car. As long as you've got at least one clutched diff and need to make a pass, inside of the apex curb and outside of the track-out curb are definitely parts of the racing line.

5: Smoother is faster, despite rougher being more fun and exciting. Pedal control and light steering inputs will turn faster times.

2: No, just no. Even without ABS, proper pedal modulation can allow for effective trail braking, leading to higher top speeds on straights and lower split times. Getting trapped in the thinking that the brake pedal is an on-off switch on the track is the reason for advice like this.

Add the word "start" to the beginning of that rule. Easing off the brakes into a long corner is ok, but if you get on the pedal when you've already got some lateral G, that's a recipe for a spin. And that leads me to the next rule:

Rule #6: Don't hit the gas till you know you don't have to get back off it. (exception: You're one of those weird mini cooper guys that balances lots of little lifts to rotate the rear end.)

Rule 1 is a good one for 24 Hours of Lemons. Obviously it's out the window in Nascar, but it holds true for a lot of road racing series. I seem to recall Memo Rojas getting squeezed into the wall trying to pass a Camaro on the outside at last years Grand Am race at Indianapolis.